Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

horns… — October 9, 2024

horns…

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That’s one sure way to mess up a sacred hymn!

The congregation was singing, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”   I smugly congratulated myself because I knew the words by heart and didn’t need the hymnal. 

My soul welled up within me as we joined our voices for the powerful chorus.  “All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.”  Only the words that escaped my mouth were, “All I have needed MY hand hath provided.”   

Now I know what you are thinking, “He didn’t really do that!”  Oh, but I did!  But hey at least my substitute word rhymed!  And you are right!  I should have used the hymnal. 

Now I didn’t do it deliberately, but I wonder if I did it subconsciously.  I mean, let’s face it, I am not the only person in this world who gives themselves more credit than they deserve.

Sure, God provides, but where would He be without me!   Such insolence.

It reminds of something I recently came across in my reading of Scripture.  The Lord was speaking when He said, “To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.  Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck'” Ps 75:4-5.  (New International Version)

God knows all things, so He certainly knows that people do not have horns – at least most of us. So, this is obviously a figure of speech.  He compared an arrogant person to a beast with a horn. 

He seems to have had in mind the ibex, wild mountain goats that have always inhabited the higher elevations of Israel.  The males happen to have enormously long horns that erupt from their skull and curve backward and down.  Their horns are clearly their most dominating and intimidating feature. 

These goats primarily use their horns to do battle.  They attack by lowering their heads and sweeping their horns upward in what is called a horn swipe.  This is done to strike and gore an opponent. They also frequently butt their heads together to establish a pecking order within the herd.  The best horn butter wins. 

I understand that a battle is typically preceded by each goat lifting his head on high as a taunt, as if to display the power and strength they bring to the battle. 

The ibex is admired in modern Israel.  It has become the logo of the National Nature and Parks Authority.  I have been to Israel and have seen the proud ibex standing erect on a distant cliff, with head lifted and horns on display. 

Of course, the horns of the ibex are it source of strength.  If the goat could boast, he would toot his horns.

So, the Lord spoke to His people as if they had something in common with the ibex.  He warned them against arrogance – to silence their boasting – to lower their horns and to cease using them as a threat.  He willed them to walk humbly with their God.

Our world today could use an infusion of that kind of humility.  In politics there is an awful lot of head butting going on.  The horns are polished and brazenly displayed on the campaign trail. 

Horns are often lifted in the church as well, as various folks battle for their personal agendas. 

Sometimes a married couple will lock horns – embroiled in a battle to have their own wills prevail. 

And there are times when children are gored by an egotistical dad that doesn’t have it in him to say, “I am sorry” when the occasion requires it. 

I am thinking that we ought to join Job the OT patriarch.  In his humility he declared, “I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust.”  Job 16:15  NETBible ®

He was wrestling with the futility of butting heads with God.  He abandoned his pride – buried his horn in the dust.  

I wonder if there is still room in that hole for ours. 

A PRAYER: Lord, make us aware of the pride that hides within us. 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Graphic from T. Voekler: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Capra_ibex_ibex.jpg

where to hide? — October 2, 2024

where to hide?

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After I had preached at church one Sunday, when a lady approached me and said, “I have been visiting here for several weeks, and I must tell you something! “ 

Of course I am ready to hear, “We just love this church.”  But that’s not what came out.  She said, “You are youngest looking old person I have ever seen.”  What?  I was about 50 at the time – at an age where I still thought I was 30. 

But things tend to balance out over time.  I have now passed the 70 thresh hold – definitely old!   And I was visiting a senior living facility recently where I learned that one of the residents there refers to me as, “the kid with the mustache.”   Wow!  That’s nice, unless she was commenting on my level of maturity. 

People perceive and sometimes misperceive us.   I wonder though, how we appear to God?   I suppose the answer depends on where we choose to hide.

My mind races back to the garden.  Adam and Eve were given a veritable Eden in which to dwell – blessings and privileges over which we salivate today.  They had the most open and honest relationship with God any two human beings have ever experienced.  They had but one rule by which to abide – but abide they did not. 

The text says, “…she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.  Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” – Genesis 3:6-7.

They blew it!  The innocence that once defined them was instantly and forever lost.  They were embarrassed by their fallen condition and thought they could hide it with a fig leaf frock.   

And then the Almighty approached them. “… the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” The man replied, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid” (3:9-10).

Their fig leaf fashions weren’t enough.  They hid themselves in the fig tree forest – but the piercing eyes of God saw them.  They were naked in more ways than one.  The righteousness that once clothed them had been shredded into rags. 

We know how that feels don’t we?  There are things that we have done that prompt us to run for cover – to hide from the glare of God.  We knew better but we did it anyway and the guilt of it still clings like a sweaty T-shirt.  

There is just nowhere to hide from God – but – we can hide – in God. 

Paul wrote to the Colossians about how to overcome sin.   The church had already pledged their faith to Jesus.  They belonged to Him. Which is why Paul could say to them, “You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” – Colossians 3:3.

They were dead but alive.  They spiritually died with Christ on the cross and were then raised in new life with Him (Galatians 2:20).   Therefore, it could be said that their lives were hidden with Christ in God.

The fig leaves could not mask the ugliness of Adam’s sin from the Almighty. But when He looks upon the one who has trusted in Christ, He sees them through the person of Christ.  They are hidden, enveloped by Christ’s righteousness. 

When my grandson facetimes me, he obsessively uses a feature that replaces his image with a cartoon image.  The image mimics his movement, but all I see of him is the image.

Likewise, when God looks at the believer, He sees us through the character and righteousness of Jesus – and He is delighted. It is the best hiding place ever!  Safe, secure and serene. 

So where is it that you are hiding? 

A Prayer:  Lord, I love the security of being “hidden in Christ.”  Thank You

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

lip prints — September 25, 2024

lip prints

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There is an oft repeated story about some middle school girls in Oregon who discovered lipstick. They would sneak it out of the house each morning and apply it in the bathroom at school.  They finished by pressing their adorned lips to the mirror leaving behind dozens of glossy lip prints.

Eventually the principal summoned them to the bathroom for a lecture.  She introduced the janitor and told them how tough it was for him to remove the mess each day.

He was asked to demonstrate.  So, he took out a long-handled brush, dipped it in the toilet, and scrubbed the mirror clean. 

So clever!  The principal stole the shine from their prank with a stark dose of reality.  Fortunately, God has done the same thing for us with the story of King David.  

David is one of the greats of the Bible.  He was visionary, a phenomenal political leader, a celebrated musician, a military genius, and certainly a spiritual giant.  But he was not perfect. 

God gave instructions for men like him who would rule Israel as King.  He said, “Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside” – Deuteronomy 17:17.

David the King was clearly a man who valued God’s Word, and yet he avoided this verse.   He came to possess at least 7 different wives to produce sons and many female concubines to provide sex (2 Samuel 5:13).

It was this craving for the sensuous that caused him to lock his eyes on Bathsheba as she bathed on the rooftop of her home.   This led to an adulterous liaison with her, a pregnancy, and then the cover up, including the manipulated death of her husband. 

He had an appetite that was consuming him. So, Nathan the prophet confronted duplicitous David outlining 3 dreadful consequences to his sin. 

1. Bloodshed would become David’s legacy.  2 Samuel 12:10-12

         Nathan said, “So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!”  (10)  David introduced bloodshed to eliminate Bathsheba’s husband.  His son Absalom would later come to slay his brother. 

2. David’s household would be violated  

Nathan said, “Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will go to bed with your wives in broad daylight!  (12:11) David brought his lusts into his home and those lusts would infect those in his home.  His son Amnon would rape his sister.  His son Absalom would lead a rebellion and take David’s throne and violate his concubines. 

3. The whole mess would be public. 

Nathan went on, “Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight” (12:12).  David conducted his sin in secret, but Absalom would violate David’s concubines in public on the same roof from where David ogled Bathsheba.

Welcome to the restroom!   The janitor has just washed the mirror with toilet water.  By honestly revealing the details of David’s story, we can see that sin brings devastating and disgusting consequences.  God intended this for us as a warning to avoid sin and to respond in obedience to every portion of His Word.  

But what about the past?  Is there still hope?  There is! “Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin” (12:13).   God is incredibly gracious and merciful to the one who is honest enough to face their sin. 

According to the apostle John, we can do the same thing today.  He wrote, “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing” – 1 John 1:9.

The mirrors in that middle school were never smudged again with lip prints. The girls learned their lesson.  May we be as wise.

A Prayer:  Lord, sin looks so good but leaves us feeling so bad.  Help us please!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you always.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible®

the clueless coach — September 17, 2024

the clueless coach

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When I was a kid, soccer was something you did to your sister. 

I had never actually touched a soccer ball until the first day of practice, but I had a first grader who was an aspiring Pele.  The coach concluded that first session with a plea.  He needed parents to serve as assistant coaches.  I got volunteered! 

Three times a week I showed up and ran the kids through the drills that the coach assigned.  They learned to dribble, pass, juggle, trap and do something called headers.

And I did my best to coach them with insightful commands such as, “Run faster; quit picking your nose and pay attention” and, “you kicked the ball in the wrong goal!”

Well, we did not have a winning season.  But the parents and kids were all very appreciative.  They gave thoughtful gifts to each of the coaches. Mine was a book – “Soccer for Dummies” and I am not kidding either.

The end of the season was kind of late to discover that there was an instruction manual available to me.

Now most of us are busy with things that are far more complicated and consequential than soccer.  Some are working through the snags of marriage.  Others are piloting the waters of parenting.  Some are overwhelmed by the challenges of the workplace.  Many of us are trying to pay the bills with a paltry income and some are spiritually ambitious but stuck.

What we need to know, is that the God who individually crafted us, has given us a fantastic resource to help us succeed.   Psalm 119 is a song that magnifies the value of the Word of God for life. 

For instance, this is where we find written, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” – Psalm 119:105. 

But also written there is this very interesting thought, “And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts” – Ps 119:45.

How incredibly ironic!   The Psalmist tells us that he lived a liberated life- a life of success and freedom – because he fastidiously was focused on knowing and living the truths that are written in the Word of God. 

He understood that the training he got in his home was insufficient.  He knew that his schooling was sometimes skewed.  He listened to podcasts that were broadcast by people with their own set of problems.  He knew that. 

So, he wisely zeroed in on that one singular inspired resource that provides flawless wisdom.

So many today want freedom but they believe it comes by improvising on the truth or even ignoring it altogether.  The Psalmist tells us that an enjoyable and effective life comes from closely adhering to the Word of God.

And it’s all there.  Fulfilling Marriage?  We are told to love and respect one another and are given particulars on how to do it in Ephesians 4:25-32 and 5:25-33.  Pleasant Parenting?  There are answers in Ephesians 6:4.

What about work?  “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” – Colossians 3:23.

We even have a financial advisor in the Bible.  For instance it says, “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered” – Proverbs 11:25 (NASU).

Of course, it all is funneled through our spiritual frame of reference which is why Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” – Matthew 6:33.

The Scripture portions that I cited are not magic bullets but prime samples of the vast storehouse of wisdom in the Word of God.

Here’s the thing.  When your season ends, you don’t want to be given a Bible that is subtitled, “Life for Dummies.”   Pick it up now and experience liberty in your life.

A PRAYER:  Lord, I was almost twenty when I finally discovered, “Life for Dummies.” Thank you for your patience and the gift.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture references are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.

my redneck tesla — September 11, 2024

my redneck tesla

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I decided to convert an old Toyota Sienna into a camper van.  My kids thought I was crazy (and I guess I am).  I had fun doing the conversion myself.  Now folks who follow behind me on the road may be puzzled by the 3-prong household plug that pokes out of my van.   I tell people that’s where I connect my redneck Tesla to the charging station.

Power is necessary to redneck Teslas and to Christians in general.  Our gracious God understands this, and He provided the Holy Spirit to be our charging station.

So, what do we know about the Holy Spirit?   He is not an “it” or a “something,” nor is He the holy “influence” of the Father.  Seven times Jesus referred to Him as a “He” in John 16.  For instance, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13).  He is a full-fledged person possessing intellect, emotion, and a will.  

Granted, He is a different kind of person, existing as a spirit.   But He has the capacity to manifest Himself in a physical form such as He did at the Baptism of Jesus.  Then He appeared in a form that compared to a dove (Matthew 3:16).  

What’s more is that He is a “holy” Spirit – a member of our triune Godhead.  He possesses the same attributes as God.  He is all knowing (1 Corinthians 2:10-12); all powerful (Job 33:4); omnipresent (John 14:16); and eternal (Hebrews 9:14).

All three were present at the Baptism of Jesus.  The Father spoke from heaven, the Spirit descended from heaven, as the Son was dipped in the waters of the Jordan (Matthew 3:16-17)

And He plays an extremely important role in the life of the believer.  When Jesus ascended to heaven, He made sure that His replacement descended and took up residence in the life of a every born-again Christian.  The apostles and their brethren were gifted on the day of Pentecost.  Believers today receive Him the moment we come to faith (Ephesians 1:13).

His role is to teach us (John 16:14); to convict us of sin (John 16:8); to intercede for us (Romans 8:26) to guide us (John 16:13); to gift us (1 Corinthians 12:4-11); and especially to empower us.

Before Jesus left, He wanted His disciples to know that the Spirit would be sent to energize their efforts.  He told them to, “Stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” – Luke 24:49. Like an American Express Card, they were not to leave home without it.

This Pentecostal power filled their prayers so that the supernatural became a reality (Acts 12:5-8). It bathed them in courage and conviction to be bold witnesses of the risen Christ (Acts 1:8).  It strengthened their battered hopes (Romans 15:13); and provided a means with which to resist the caustic influence of sin (Ephesians 3:14-21). He empowered them, and today empowers us to live victorious lives.

And this power is continuously supplied.  We don’t need to stop every 272 miles and plug into an EV charging station and sit there baking beneath the windshield for 10 hours. 

This power is always there for us, unless we should offend the Spirit.   Because this power comes through a person, we can sometimes disappoint and even grieve that person through spiritual insensitivity, disobedience or rejection (Ephesians 4:30).  When this happens, the power goes poof!

And there amid the 12- lane highway of life, during rush hour, with the draft of semis shaking our car – we helplessly sit – powerless.   

But because He is a gracious and forgiving God, He welcomes a contrite plea for forgiveness and will respond to a request to be filled again (Ephesians 5:18).  He is our recharging station, and how blessed we are that He resides within us. 

If your spiritual batteries are full, good for you!  If not, talk to the Holy Spirit about it.   

A Prayer: Lord, more power please!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!

Scripture passages are from the NETBible®

undistracted — September 4, 2024

undistracted

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I was a pastor and regarded by some as a paragon of prayer.  Truth is, I am easily distracted, especially when I pray.  I suspect that I have Attention Deficit Disorder but when I was a kid it wasn’t a thing. 

But I do remember that each year in school, my new teacher would seat me at the head of the row nearest to her desk.  Gee and I thought it was because I was so likeable.

I am bothered that my prayers are distracted.  I feel like I am missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.  I think of Jesus words in John 14:13, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  I bet that set their heads to spinning.    “Whatever – as in anything?”  They could hardly believe it, which is why Jesus immediately repeated Himself in verse 14, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

These privileges are extended to us as His disciples.  But alas, the other day I was praying, but then I thought about how often I get distracted when I pray – and it occurred to me that right then I was distracted from prayer by thoughts on distraction from prayer.  Hopeless!

Sometimes, I imagine my prayers going something like this, “Lord?” “Yes my child!”  “My car won’t start.  Would You help me with….hey was that a Tesla?” “What?”  “Oh, I’m sorry, as I was saying, my car is in the shop – shop – You better shop around.”  “What?”  Oh right – well my car needs help.”  “That’s not all that needs help.” 

Over the years, however, I have learned a couple of things to help me manage my distractions.  Jesus taught me to…

– Pray aloud.   

That is what He did.  John 17 contains Jesus concluding prayer at the last supper.  It is an entire chapter long – nearly 700 words and every word was recorded by John because John heard Jesus pray aloud. 

Jesus prayed aloud at the cross (Luke 23:24); at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39); and at the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:41) and when He multiplied the fishes and loaves (John 11:41-42).

         And it appears that it was the custom for all back then.  In Luke 18:13 we read, “The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’”  It was audible and recorded for us.  There are other instances of verbalized prayer found at Acts 8:15, 16:25, and 20:36.

         OK so why out loud?  When our intangible thoughts are silently slithering through our minds, its takes almost nothing to disrupt them, but when speaking our prayers out loud, we hear what our hearts breathe, and we focus.  Because we hear them, God gets to hear them too. 

But didn’t Jesus warn us against being publicly pious?  He did!  According to the King James we are to go into the closet when we pray (Matthew 6:6).  

OK my closet smells so I may skip that.  But His point was to seek a private place and pray there.  Which brings me to a second Jesus lesson…

– Pray alone

Mark 1:35 says, “Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there He spent time in prayer.”

Jesus chose a place without people – “a deserted place” – a place where it was exclusively Him and His Father. He chose a time of day when He would be the least distracted – in the morning before rush hour. He also chose to do it while it was still, “very dark.”  Darkness hides the visual things that distract us.

It seems that even Jesus worked to eliminate distractions from His prayer. So do what you must do, to be done with distractions – and pray!

Speaking of prayer, this is mine.  “Lord, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Help me.” 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com

a chipmunk prayer — August 28, 2024

a chipmunk prayer

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A pang of alarm swept over a young dad as he groped for his wallet.  It was missing.  As you know, these days it is easier to recover from the shingles than the loss of a wallet or a purse. 

So, he mobilized his family, and they scoured the house high and low.  They found coins in the armchair and balls of fuzzy cat hair – but no wallet. 

It soon became a prayer.  “Lord please help us to find that wallet.”  But a day went by, then another, then a week and 14 days later it was still AWOL.

Then one day their cat stood outside the door to their home.  Through the glass, the family could see that she had brought them a present.  She had a chipmunk clamped in her jaws. 

Mom shouted, “Don’t open that door!” but the kids were already granting admission. The cat bolted in the house, and the chipmunk bounded from her mouth.   

The kids were screaming, and mom was scrambling.   The chipmunk ran for cover in the living room. They tracked him down to an armchair.  The sassy little guy was found sitting underneath, right next to dad’s missing wallet.

Prayer answered!  Evidently the little guy was dispatched from God’s lost and found department.  But what a crazy way to answer a prayer.  What was God thinking? 

Well let me say, that prayer is utterly unnecessary.   I mean God is God, He is omniscient – knowing all things.   He knows what we need even before we need it.  And He is utterly capable and very willing to provide for those needs. 

And yet He expects us to ask for what we need.   In fact, His message to us in James 4:2 is, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

But why must we pray?

He created man in the beginning to enjoy a relationship with us.   Prayer is one of the few ways that we find ourselves frequently refreshing that relationship. 

Jesus gave His disciples some instructions on prayer.   He said, “I tell you the solemn truth, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive it, so that your joy may be complete – (John 16:23-24)

It’s all about relationship. We are to pray to the Father, and to do it in Jesus’ name.  When this takes place, He promises that it will be done.  And a partial motivation on the Lord’s part is to give His children complete joy. 

He cares about us.  He wants to interact with us.  He wants to give us joy!  He wants to do what we ask of Him – but we must go through Him first. 

I don’t see my doctor very often because I have a prescription that is automatically filled each month.  If God were to meet our needs in that way – we might take Him for granted – even forget that He is there.  There would be no relationship.

I remember being a young dad, and having my children come to me for help – to fix a broken toy, or bandage a wound, or to grab something beyond their reach.  It was a privilege and even a joy.  It was clear that they needed and appreciated me.   

I suppose God may feel the same way when we seek Him in prayer. 

OK but why a chipmunk?

Well maybe because sometimes we pray, and God faithfully answers.  But He does so through the gift of a friend, or the healing hand of a doctor, or maybe a promotion at work.

And we attribute our good fortune to luck or circumstance or the result of our hard work.   

So sometimes God wants to remind us in unmistakable if not a crazy way, that it is He who hears and specifically tends to our needs. 

So, look for the chipmunks in your life and thank the Father who sent them.

A PRAYER: Thank you Lord, for your blessings on us.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NET Bible ®

Graphic by Rhododendrites- Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=117125635

expectations — August 21, 2024

expectations

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Most of us have expectations.  We are delighted when they are met, disappointed when they are not, and surprised and overjoyed when they are exceeded.

I can relate.  I am 1/3 of a singing trio consisting of my wife, a dear friend and me.  The sum of our ages is 206, and that is not in dog years.

We were invited to sing at a well-attended church service.  The time came for us to do our thing.  I braced myself as I pried my stiff body out of the seat.  As we began to move forward the percussion section did an intro.  Oh wait, that was the sound of popping joints.  The congregation began to wonder. 

We then ascended the five stairs to get up to the platform.  Slow and deliberate were our steps.  I needed to take a breath when I reached the summit.  The congregation experienced some dismay.

We positioned ourselves at the mics.  Facing the congregation were two grey haired women, and one guy crowned with a snow-white mop.  It was like a reunion tour except this time it was the grandmamas and the grandpapas.  Our listeners finally saw what they were getting, and they whimpered.

If I had been sitting out there with them, I would have been thinking, “Oh no, this is going to be a very painful performance.”

But then – I began to pick my guitar and it half sounded like I knew what I was doing.  And then our voices came in – pleasant, strong, skillfully blended and in sync.

And the congregation let out a huge sigh of relief.   In fact, they even enjoyed it.  After the service we received countless encouragements and another potential gig – a seniors group of course.

So yes, I exaggerated my story a little to make you laugh, but you get the picture.  It’s always amazing to have one’s expectations exceeded.    May that always be the case with yours.

But if they aren’t, let me tell you about one that most definitely will.  Heaven!

We have a partial description of heaven given in Revelation 21-22.  It is a place gilded in gold and adorned with walls of precious stones and gates of pearl.  The sun and moon are displaced by the luminous glory of the Lamb of God.

The Biblical description is amply supplemented by Bluegrass music where 9 out of 10 songs seem to be focused on, “glory land.”   The description we have of heaven available to us is already beyond our ability to comprehend and yet it hardly scratches the surface.

I love the honesty of the song, “I Can Only Imagine.”   There the writer admits he doesn’t fully understand what heaven is like, but he enjoys imagining what it might be. 

The apostle Paul was given a unique preview according to 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.  He was caught up to heaven either through a vision, or an in-person visit.   Even after that, he could not adequately describe heaven for us. 

He said, “(I) was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak (4).  He spoke of his heavenly experience as being “extraordinary” (6) and “surpassing in greatness” (7).

We expect the ordinary, but Paul says what is ahead is extraordinary.  We expect things will be great in heaven, but we are told that they will surpass greatness.

At another place, Paul again described our experience in heaven.  He said, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him” – 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Beyond the pale is an unimaginable and yet, magnificent experience.   We know just enough today to wonder.

But this is for sure, when it comes to heaven you can expect your expectations to be exceeded.

A PRAYER: Lord, I’m glad I don’t know fully what to expect, but I’m glad the surprise will last an eternity.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you always.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

circle syndrome — August 14, 2024

circle syndrome

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I paid $100 to purchase a car in my teen years.  No, that’s not a typo.  It truly cost me $100, and it was worth every penny of it.  It was a very used 1960 Plymouth Fury that had lost its passion.

It was a peculiar car, having a bar graph for a speedometer and a pushbutton gear selector.  It was also a car with a scenic view.  The floorboards were rusted through allowing me to watch the street pass beneath me.   I could empathize with Fred Flintstone. 

At one point, the car developed an annoying problem.  Each time I made a left turn, the engine would die – every single left turn without exception.  Fortunately, the car would start right up again, but it just wouldn’t tolerate a left turn.   Which was OK if my destination could be reached by right turns only. 

I was doomed to perpetually drive around the block!

I wonder if this might sound familiar to you. 

Sometimes life can feel like a circular rut – like a perpetual cruise around the block!  We may be moving, but we don’t seem to get anywhere. 

Some perceive it in their finances.  They live hand to mouth – one bill is paid, and another quickly replaces it.  They just can’t break the cycle and get ahead.

Some experience it in their marriage.  Toxic habits perpetuate the hurt and unhappiness.

Some see it at the job.  There just doesn’t seem to be a path ahead – just more mind-numbing routine.

This is not the way the Lord would have us to live.  In fact, He provided clear instruction on how to get off the hamster wheel of woe.

Solomon recorded God’s words in Proverbs 3:5 & 6. He wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.”

The author implies that most of our difficulties are of our own making.  The life choices we make may be skewed by our lusts, our fears, our insecurities and maybe our pride.   Objectivity and wisdom are lost in the mix. 

The better way to live is to trust in the Lord, all the way – with all our hearts.   It is to use our brains for sure, but to ultimately rely on the wisdom of God, and not our own understanding. 

For instance, it doesn’t make human sense to give when my needs are so great, and yet God says I should, so I will. 

He goes on to say, “Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight (vs. 6).   The word “all” is used again.  We need to acknowledge Him in every way – the way we think, the way we live, and the decisions we make. 

As we learn to do this, God promises to move us from circular insanity to a straight path which is permeated with purpose.  It will move us forward in a healthy way.

Travel in Solomon’s day took place over narrow paths that snaked in and around the hill country.    At times the path would be washed out or blocked by debris.   The traveler might need to backtrack to find a way around. 

But when King Solomon traveled, he would be proceeded by servants who would clear and repair the road so that the King’s travel would easy, direct, and unobstructed. They made his path straight. 

God promises to go before and clear the way for those who ultimately rely on His understanding of life.  This person studies the Word of God, and implements it in their finances, marriage, their work and parenting – and in every way.

What results is progress which is purposeful and meaningful – a path much easier and more direct than the one we are on now. 

My dad and I replaced the float in the carburetor of my car which liberated me from my silly circular cycle.  I am hoping that God does the same for us and much more!

A PRAYER: Lord, help me break free, to follow a straight path.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com ®

livelyville — August 7, 2024

livelyville

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I was cruising the backroads of East Texas when I passed through Livelyville.  Now I thought to myself, “This sounds like a fun place to live!”  Turns out – it isn’t. 

The population is zero.  It is a rural, unincorporated place.  There is not a school, post office or store but they do have a historical marker.  The town was founded by Thomas Lively back in the 1850’s, but even he eventually chose to move away.  I guess even old Thomas was bored.

But the one thing that caught my attention, was the big green sign that pointed the way to the official Livelyville Cemetery (where the population is considerably larger).

Now I decided right then, that when it’s my time to go, well that’s where I want to be buried!”  I want me a plot in that graveyard.  It seems like there might always be a hope for a man buried in the Livelyville Cemetery.

Well, the truth is, many cemeteries will be lively places one of these days, at least that’s what the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. (NETBible ®)

The people of Thessalonica were expecting Jesus to return at any moment, but He tarried so long that some of them had died.  Those left were inconsolably sad.  They assumed it was all over for those folks whose bodies slept and they grieved without a hope.

But, God through Paul said, “Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.”   (vs. 13).

And then, Paul gave them a hope. He wrote, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also, we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians. For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep” (vss 14-15).

Knowing that Christ is scheduled to return to this earth, Paul says that Jesus will, at that time, tend to those who have already died. 

He said, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (vs. 16).

The bodies of those Christians who had gone on before, will rise up from the grave.  They will become reconstituted and transformed and joined to their eternal souls.  At that time any graveyard containing the remains of the faithful will become a Livelyville Cemetery. 

And what about the rest of us?  Paul says, “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will always be with the Lord.” (vs 17)

So, at the same time, believers who are still alive will also be transformed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).   We will join those who have been raised from the dead and also the Lord Jesus Himself and we will forevermore be by His side.

In Texas, it is common to find a picnic pavilion in the middle of a cemetery.  It is the gathering place for the annual family reunion.  It will be a wondrous time when those beneath the sod join those beneath the shelter. 

I’m telling you there is going to be some liveliness in the Livelyville Cemetery one of these days.  A joy filled reunion of generations of faithful family members reveling in God’s almighty power, the richness of His grace and the taste of eternity.

And when Jesus comes, I might be a pile of dust, or I might be eating a chicken leg at the picnic.  Either way I will be with Jesus.   I hope you’ll be there too!

A PRAYER: God, remind us to share this with those who have no hope.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.